Kochie's 'axing' no current affair
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Sunrise host David Koch responds to a story, which ran on 'A Current Affair', claiming producers had plans to axe him from the show. Courtesy Channel Seven.

news.com.au

25 Mar 2014

Entertainment

The Sunrise team on air this morning. Source: Channel 7

DAVID Koch and the Sunrise team have hit back at claims that he and Natalie Barr were set to be axed from the show by Seven management back in 2011.

Sensational claims published in The Australian’s media section yesterday were echoed on Nine’s A Current Affair last night claiming that the pair — along with former Sunrise host Mel Doyle — were due to be sacked more than three years ago in favour of different hosts.

The emails were allegedly sent from former Sunrise executive producer Adam Boland to Seven’s then head of news and current affairs, Peter Meakin, and chief executive David Leckie in a bid to revamp the program.

Koch said on air this morning that A Current Affair had “rehashed a stupid story about an email suggesting myself and Nat were going to be replaced on Sunrise.”

Former executive producer of Sunrise Adam Boland with the Sunrise team David Koch, Melissa Doyle Natalie Barr, Mark Baretta and Monique Wright in 2009.Source: Supplied

“It was written back in 2011 by a former executive producer of the show who wasn’t working on the show at the time it was leaked to the Australian newspaper — a bloke called Adam Boland. Adam had well and truly left this show by the time he wrote the email — a point lost on a rival network [Channel 9] last night.

“He wasn’t looking at anything because he, [Boland], wasn’t in charge of this show at the time, he was simply sending an email with his thoughts, thoughts that were actually rejected by those running the joint”

Laughing, Armytage added: “I cannot believe that we have given this more airtime than it already had. It’s such a big steaming pile of poo.”

Executive producer Adam Boland (R) with presenters Melissa Doyle and David Koch of the "Sunrise" TV program in 2004.Source: News Limited

The team then took aim at Boland, who last night appeared on ABC’s Australian Story to talk about his struggle with mental illness.

During the program Boland said: “The notion of not being able to control your own mind and controlling your own thoughts is, is frightening, particularly if those thoughts, A — make no sense, or B — are really awful thoughts. You actually start to question everything, including your own validity and you end up feeling immensely trapped by your own mind and you just want to escape.”

Admitting he had seriously contemplated suicide, Boland said, “I looked at the balcony and I thought, yeah, this, you know, here’s a way. You can, you can do that right now if you want, you know? Just walk that way.”

The Sunrise team.Source: News Limited

But the team took a dig at Boland saying his successors were “saner” than him.

“I’ve been getting emails from people last night and on Twitter saying ‘are you going to be sacked from the show?’” Koch said. “Well no, it was 2011 from a bloke who’d moved on and saner heads prevailed.”

Which Barr followed up with: “Yes, much more sane heads. And brilliant minds stepped in.”

Armytage added: “Yes lucky for you, of course they were sane.

To which Koch replied: “And we’ve won the ratings ever since.”

Speaking on Australian Story last night, Boland said the media has a duty to address the stigma around mental illness in Australia.

“There is a stigma; as many as half of all Australians concede that they would avoid people with a mental illness,” he said.

“The media, I think, has a duty to help smash that. Mental illness is as valid as any other illness. Forty-four people take their lives every week in Australia, why isn’t that leading news bulletins every single night?”

Koch and Armytage have since tweeted to apologise for their “unfortunate choice of words”.

In clarifying ACA story I innocently used a common turn of phrase which has caused offense to some. I&#39;m sorry. That wasn&#39;t my intention

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